1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a vehicle wheel, preferably a light metal wheel, in which the commercially available pressure medium feed and non-return valve closable by spring force is accommodated preferably axially on the axis of rotation of the wheel, the pressure medium, being air or other gases, being fed to the valve from the vehicle axle and drive shaft either manually from the outside or automatically by the vehicle itself.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As a rule, the valves of vehicle wheels are positioned on the wheel circumference. When controlling and filling or discharging the tire, the valve sometimes is conveniently accessible above, but with the aperture downwardly directed, i.e. upside down and on other occasions sideways and sometimes down below near the bottom and deeply in the gap of the hub cap or between the spokes and poorly accessible. As a result, when applying the compressed air gun a transverse force and a bending moment arises at the neck of the valve fixture on the wheel edge and its reaction forces and moments cause straining of the wrist and arm joints. In addition to that, the valve, when the wheel rotates, gives rise to a quite appreciable unbalance. In addition, it is readily accessible and can be manipulated by unauthorized persons. Dirt and abrasion dust collects around it and it cannot be cleaned easily.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,900,007 discloses a steel wheel (24), the valve unit (56, 60) of which is screwed to the center of the wheel opposite to the wheel axle to a sleeve (38, 40) and secured by means of a nut (58). The sleeve (38, 40) in turn is screwed onto a steel strap (30) and a sheet metal cladding (62) and locked by a lock nut (46) and secured to the bracket (36). The sleeve (38, 40) has a nipple (48) which is connected by way of a hose-like ducting (50) to the tire interior and covered by the cover sheet (62).
The disadvantage of this principle resides in the relatively large number and from a manufacturing point of view not quite uncomplicated components involved in this solution of the object and in the unbalance, which is caused by the mass of the hose during rotation. Moreover, the hose covered by the hub cap is readily accessible once the hub cap is removed and can be damaged very easily either by accident or intentionally. The existing unbalance is further aggravated by the additional components and by the radial hose, since the prior art valve on the wheel circumference is still present.